I was talking recently with a client who said the offer for the free consultation on her website was more trouble than it was worth. You see, I always recommend you have an offer on your website for a free initial consultation for new patients. I'm not talking about a free treatment - I'm talking about not charging for the additional cost many practitioners charge new patients for the initial visit.

One of the best strategies you can use to get new patients in the door is to make them this offer. But many acupuncturists are afraid they're going to get a lot of tire-kickers in the door who'll waste their time. Not true. My stats show that 95% to 98% of "prospective" patients who take the time to drive to your office to meet with you stay for treatment.

As I kept inquiring to find out why the free consultation was causing confusion, I asked the acupuncturist if there is a difference in the cost between the initial visit WITH the free consultation coupon - and the initial visit WITHOUT the free consultation coupon. When I learned there is no difference I had my answer. You see, in marketing this cost difference is called the "risk-free" factor of an offer.

I explained to her the reason the coupon was creating a problem is because the offer is misleading. The website clearly states that the coupon has an $85 value. I advised her to either honor the free consultation offer or remove it completely from the website. It just doesn't make sense to offer a free initial consultation if the patient is going to pay for the consultation any way.

As I watched this video, the story "Acres of Diamonds" came to mind. "Acres of Diamonds" is a true story told by the late Earl Nightingale, with an ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds.

Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line.

He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" - and sure enough it was.

The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.